


Badger Pride

by inheritanceofgeek



Series: Hobbit Hogwarts AUs [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Gen, Gryffindor!Thorin, Hufflepuff Pride, Hufflepuff house is the best house to be in don't fight me on this one, Hufflepuff!Fíli, We live in a Hobbit Hole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-02
Updated: 2015-05-02
Packaged: 2018-03-28 17:16:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3862924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inheritanceofgeek/pseuds/inheritanceofgeek
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fíli’s hands shook as he made his way to the stool, the eyes of the entire school upon him. He looked up into the eyes of his Uncle as he placed the hat upon his head, a bead of sweat fell from his forehead and hit the floor. Objectively, he knew that all the houses were noble and true, with a grand history and legacy behind them all; but he still felt the desperate need to please his Uncle. How would it look if the Head of Gryffindor’s own nephew was sorted into Slytherin? Or into any of the houses for that matter! His Father had been a Ravenclaw, but still… Durin’s were meant Gryffindors, and it had been they who raised him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Badger Pride

**Author's Note:**

> I'm taking a break from the Barduil fic I'm writing to take some time to map out the intense head canon I've developed for the obligatory Hogwarts AU. Can you have Head Canon for an AU? Who knows with Harry Potter anymore... 
> 
> But yes, I can totally see Fíli as a Hufflepuff. He might look like a Lion, but he's a loyal and ferocious badger at heart. <3
> 
> I am, of course, in no way prejudiced towards my house. Nope. Not I, no sir-ee
> 
> Not Betad I'm afraid, as this is just quick little one shot that I'll probably expand upon in the future =)

“Burison, Fíli.”

 

Fíli’s hands shook as he made his way to the stool, the eyes of the entire school upon him. He looked up into the eyes of his Uncle as he placed the hat upon his head, a bead of sweat fell from his forehead and hit the floor. Objectively, he knew that all the houses were noble and true, with a grand history and legacy behind them all; but he still felt the desperate need to please his Uncle. How would it look if the Head of Gryffindor’s own nephew was sorted into Slytherin? Or into any of the houses for that matter! His Father had been a Ravenclaw, but still… Durins were meant to be Gryffindors, and it had been they who raised him.

 

“Hmm, there’s no need to be so nervous you know”

 

Fíli jumped as the voice began to whisper in his ear. No, in his head! Mahal magic could be creepy at times.

 

“Your Uncle was just as nervous during his own sorting. But I shall tell you what I told him, do not try and live to a legacy. You can only live your own life, not the one of those who came before you.”

 

“But what will they say?” He thought desperately “If I’m not a Gryffindor then he’ll be a laughing stock!”

 

The hat gave a bark of laughter “Nobody would dare laugh at professor Durinson. If he is disappointed in your sorting, if he judges the houses unfairly, then he is not worthy of being a Professor at Hogwarts. Pride is one thing, young Durin, prejudice is another, remember that. Those who mock the houses, and have judged them unfairly, have always received their comeuppance. But we are here to talk about you, Fíli, son of Víli, and not your Uncle.”

 

Fíli gave a short nod, wondering why the hat was taking time to explain this to him. He knew the hat had given warnings in the past, but he didn’t know that it gave advice to students as well. Could it see something inside his head that Fíli didn’t know about? Or was this a warning for Thorin?

 

“Please can I be in Gryffindor.” He whispered

 

The hat hummed to itself thoughtfully.

 

“You are brave to ask, young one, but I do not think that is enough. You’ve already shown your wish to prove yourself to others, but it’s loyalty to your family rather than anything else. You’ve not a bad mind, you’ve got your Father’s wits, but I can see you’re by no means an academic! My my my, the number of times you’ve skipped your tutorials to practice Quidditch. However, I see you still believe in following the rules and thinking ahead, you were the one to get people out of trouble, more than into it.” Fíli could sense where this was going, and he wasn’t entirely happy about it. “There is only one house I could but you in young Durin, you are a brave and true HUFFLEPUFF!”

 

The table in the middle erupted with cheers and applause but Fíli still sat in the seat until Thorin took the hat from his head. He struggled to his feet and stared at the floor, biting his lip. Hufflepuff? He’d been sorted into Hufflepuff! It was the house for people who didn’t fit, who weren’t cunning or smart of brave… for the leftovers. ‘Gryffindor rejects’ he’d heard someone on the train call them. He didn’t move, gazing into his Uncle’s eyes at long last.

 

He expected Thorin to rumble his disapproval, and refuse to meet his nephew’s gaze. However, he saw that Thorin was smiling fondly at him, as he had done when Fíli was six and presenting him with a portrait of his Uncle, which he’d heard was still on display in Thorin’s office. It was the same smile he’d given him after his first Quidditch lesson, and he’d hit the enchanted apple with the bat hard enough to smash it to pieces. It was the same same he used whenever he saw Fíli for the first time after being away for so long.

 

Thorin put a comforting arm on his shoulder and gestured towards the Hufflepuff table where whispers and mummers were beginning to stir. How did the first year know Professor Durinson? Why was he behaving so friendly all of a sudden? Was that an _actual_ smile on his face?

 

Fíli shuffled over to the table, blushing profusely and took a seat next to a grinning blonde haired boy he’d seen sorted earlier. What was his name again, Merry something? He looked up and down the table, it was filled with grinning faces with hands held out for him to shake and a billion different questions about himself and his relationship with his Uncle. He thought that it was just for him, this behaviour, but when Eorl, Éomer was also sorted into Hufflepuff the house erupted with applause again and greeted him just as enthusiastically.

 

After the feast, which proved just as delicious and amazing as he’d always heard, they were lead to their dormitories.

 

“We’re one of the few houses that nobody’s been able to break into. We’re down by the kitchens, and in the morning it smells of fresh bread and on Sundays the scent of the Roast Dinners makes your mouth water.” Smiled Morwen, a sixth year prefect who was leading them to their common room. Fíli marvelled at the labyrinth of corridors, and wondered how his Uncle ever found his way around, given that he once got lost in his own garden. “Everyone always jokes about us, I’m sure you’re going to hear some pretty rude stuff about our house, saying that we’re not worthy of anything- but we just not one to brag. People like to forget that people like Newt Scamander was a Hufflepuff, or Bridget Wenlock – one of the most successful Minsters of Magic of all time! And here we are.”

 

“It’s just a pile of old wine barrels.” Said Fīli, frowning. He knew Gryffindor’s common room was hidden behind a portrait, and he assumed the others were as well.

 

“Ahh, looks can be deceptive, Burinson” winked the prefect, she’d already learnt all their names and had spent the dinner asking them all about their lives back home and what they were interested in, answering any and all questions put to her. She took out her wand and tapped on a barrel five times and in a careful rhythm. The top of the barrel slid backwards and Fíli and the other first years peered down into it

 

“It’s a slide!” exclaimed one of the girls to Fíli’s left “Oh wow that’s amazing! Far better than Ravenclaw, my brother says you have to solve a riddle to get in.” she rolled her eyes and Morwen smiled

 

“That’s what I’ve always thought too, O’Neil. Typical Ravenclaw your brother, always bragging about how hard it is to get into their house. All you have to do is answer a riddle, and anyone can do that with enough perseverance.”

 

Not Kíli, thought Fíli with a wide grin. This did look a lot more fun than solving a riddle.

 

“So you’ve just got to tap the barrels with your wand?”

 

“Pretty much yeah, but be careful if you get the rhythm wrong, or tap on the wrong barrel, you’ll get Vinegar poured all over you. I can guarantee you at least two of you will have that happen to you by the end of week, so remember, Barrel on your second left and to the rhythm of Hel-ga Huff-le-puff, two short, two quick then one short. Now in you get.” They all looked nervously around, no one wanting to go first. Fíli took a deep breath and climbed into the barrel, he couldn’t see the end of the tunnel, and it looked big enough to fit comfortably for even the largest of people, but it was still a daunting prospect. With a sudden surge of bravery he let go of the sides and fell through the tube, at first he felt scared but soon he got into the swing of things as his speed picked up and he felt himself roll through the elaborate tunnel system. He let out a loud whoop and felt it reverberate though the walls. He finally saw a light at the end and felt himself tumble out into the room with a loud _THUD._ Everyone in the room turned to look at him and they burst into applause. Fíli stumbled to his feet and gave a deep bow to the assembled crowd. He looked around his new home. He’d always felt at home underground, so he was pleased to see that the room was carved from soft earth. It felt warm and secure and he loved the earthy smell that filled the room, mixed with the faint scent of the food from the feast. It was beautifully lit with candlelight and had little circular windows, which over looked the grounds. The doors on the left and the right of the room were also round and where made from soft oak that had been painted bottle green, each with a different rune carved into the front, which he assumed marked them apart as the girls' and boys' dorms.

 

Suddenly, he felt a great weight hit his back and he tumbled forward. Everyone in the common room began laughing

 

“Oh my goodness I’m so sorry!” cried Éomer, suppressing a giggle himself, as he detangled himself from Fíli and helping him to his feet.

 

“No problem, my fault, I shouldn’t have been standing there.”

 

“Do you think we should maybe move before someone else comes down?” asked Éomer grinning

 

“Good idea.” Smiled Fíli. Maybe Hufflepuff really was the right house for him, if this amount of fun reflected the amount he’d be having the rest of his time here. He looked around the room, at the blushing first years and the laughing older students as they stepped forward to help them up. The room was filled with good cheer and comradeship. It reminded him of his family back home and all the gatherings they’d have yearly, where no matter how distantly related he was, everyone cared about each other and you could guarantee a good time would be had, especially if he was left alone with his cousins for too long! Yes, this was where he belonged. He was a Badger, and proud.


End file.
